St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-06-01
Representatives of the Northwestern
Lines Hold An Extremely Important
Consultation at Chicago,
To Consider the Threats Of Rate Cutting
Recently Attributed to the Burling-
ton & Northern.
A Temporary Arrangement Entered Into
Which Will Prevent Decentralization
For the Time Being.
The Usual Budget Of Complaints Brought
Before the Interstate Commerce
Commission.
Special to the Globe

Special to the Globe.
CHICAGO, May 31.-A general meeting
of managers and directors of Western
and Northwestern roads was held this
afternoon in the rooms. of Chairman
Faithorn. The meeting was a secret
one and was called for the purpose of
devising means to prevent demoral-
iZation in freight rates which now
threatens ON all the roads running from
the North and West into this city.
Unless the meeting arrives at some
permanent settlement of the perplexing
problem, the st. Paul people will reduce
the rate between Chicago, Council
Bluffs and Omaha to proportionately
the same figures as are now in effect be-
tween Chicago and points in the North
west. The demand is that the Burling-
ton & Northern join other roads in put
ting up higher rates. This road falls
back on its milling and transit orders as
an excuse for not agreeing to the re-
quest of the other roads. At to-day's
meeting there was an amicable feeling
between the general managers and
freight agents of all the roads. The
general managers were disposed to shift
the responsibility for all new plans upon
the shoulders of the freight agents.
The general managers talked for some
time about what was best to be done,
but they
COULD NOT AGREE JUST YET,
or at least were not willing to until the
freight agents Investigated the subject.
These latter gentlemen are not very
harmonious. At the start they showed
a disposition to cling tenaciouSly to the
favorite ideas of the roads they repre-
sent, and it was thought that they will
make two reports on the milling and
transit orders, thus giving the general
managers something tc fight over. Later
min the day they had considerable
progress. A temporary plan was
formed in the interest of peace which
may only serve to put off the threatened
war a few weeks longer. 1t was de-
cided, however, to continue the present
basis of rates on all freights except
grain, wheat and its products after June
/, subject to fifteen days notice of a de-
sire on the part of any line to change.
Those rates are: First, 20 cents; sec
ond, 60 cents: third, 45 cents; fourth,
30 cents; fifth, 20 cents; class a, 25
cents; B, 20 cents; G, 16 cents; d, 13
cents; e, II cents. Further discussion
will be held tomorrow when
A STORMY TINE
is expected. If the issue was alone be-
tween the st. Paul and the Burlington
there could be no doubt that to-day's
meeting would result in the inaugural
ton of general Western freight war;
but as all other Western and Northwest
ern roads are equally interested they
will no doubt make great efforts to
bring about compromise between the
two principal cOmbatantS, and they may
yet succeed in preventing disastrous
conflict. In no event, however, can the
existing rates between Chicago and
Omaha and other points in the West be
maintained any longer. AS compared
with the st. Paul and Minneapolis rates
they are simply eXorbitant, and prevent
the people in the West from competing
with the people in the Northwest upon
equal terms and conditions. While
Northwestern rates may be slightly adj
vanced, it is quite certain Western rates
will be materially reduced.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
CHICAGO, May 31.-An important
meeting of the managers of the North
western railways was held to-day, and
on its results hung the question as to
whether there was a bitter war to be
waged among the lines in the West and
Northwest, or whether the pipe of
peace was to be smoked and harmony
prevail. The Chicago, Burlington Il
Northern has been threatening for the
past two months that on June l it would
withdraw from the association and on
that date cut the through rates between
Chicago, Minneapolis and the East.
The Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul an
nOunced that if the threat was carried
out it would in turn cut the rates to
Omaha in the same proportion. If the
two lines had carried out this proposed
programme it meant complete demorali-
Zation of both through and local rates
throughout the West, and also to the in
tereSted roads in earnings of $4,000 a
day. The Burlington d Northern would
undoubtedly have carried out its threat
had not the Burlington, which controls
it. forced it to back down from its posi-
ton, which it did at tO-day'S meeting,
the Burlington d Northern, with the
other lines. agreeing to keep the present
rates in force from and after June L,
subject to fifteen days notice of the
desire on the part of any line to change.
a resolution was proposed to suspend
any further issue of milling in trasit,
and to make the through grain rate
from st. Paul and Minneapolis to Chi
cago 10 cents hundred. The managers
discussed this until late in the evening
and then adjourned until tomorrow.
The general opinion is that the resolu-
ton will prevail.
INTERSTATE.